Continuous laundering

ABSTRACT

A washing/rinsing unit, and a drying unit, with continuous conveyor means in each unit, the laundry pieces being transferred from the washing/rinsing unit to the drying unit in a continuous operation; in one form, the laundry pieces drop by gravity into the drying unit, and in another, they are positively fed thereto. The conveyor means are of open work, enabling water and air to freely pass therethrough into the laundry pieces, and in one form of laterally spaced segments providing gaps for brushes to enter thereinto and engage the laundry pieces.

Unite States Patent 1 1 Grantham ]March 13, 1973 i 1 CONTINUOUS LAUNDERING [76] Inventor: Paulette Grantham, 1830 White Oak Drive, Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1970 [21] Appl. N0.: 81,701

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 510,596, Nov. 30,

[52] US. Cl. ..68/l9.l, 68/39, 68/44 [51] Int. Cl. ..B05c 5/02, B050 9/14 [58] Field of Search ..68/l9.l 19, 2O, 22 R, 44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,439,365 4/l969 Bahnsen ..68/2O X 3,43l,753 3/1969 Glenn or al.... ..68/22 R X 2,530,494 ll/l950 Vigcrust ..68/44 X l,l85,766 6/l9l6 Brungcr ..68/44 3,]23994 3/l964 Brown et al. ..68/44 X Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Attorney-Paul H. Gallagher [57] ABSTRACT A washing/rinsing unit, and a drying unit, with continuous conveyor means in each unit, the laundry pieces being transferred from the washing/rinsing unit to the drying unit in a continuous operation; in one form, the laundry pieces drop by gravity into the drying unit, and in another, they are positively fed thereto. The conveyor means are of open work, enabling water and air to freely pass therethrough into the laundry pieces, and in one form of laterally spaced segments providing gaps for brushes to enter thereinto and engage the laundry pieces.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CONTINUOUS LAUNDERING This is a continuation-in-part of my prior and copending, parent application Ser. No. 510,596, filed Nov. 30, 1965, for Continuous Laundering.

CROSS REFERENCES My co-pending application Ser. No. 90,167, filed Dec. 16, 1970, for Continuous Laundering also a continuation-in-part of the above mentioned parent application. 7

My co-pending application Ser. No. 81,671, filed Oct. 19, 1970, for Laundry Towel Rolling means, also a continuation-in-part of the above mentioned parent application.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to continuous laundering, including apparatus and method, in which laundry pieces are washed and/or rinsed and dried in a continuous operation or series of steps.

A broad object of the invention is to provide such apparatus and method of the kind referred to which is equally adaptable to both long or continuous towels or pieces, and short pieces.

Another and important object is to provide in apparatus and method of the foregoing character, conveyor means specially adapted to gripping short or small laundry pieces and conveying them through the apparatus, and in which the conveyor means are of open work, enabling free flow of water and air therethrough into the laundry pieces, and in one form, being made up of laterally spaced elements providing gaps therebetween for entry of brushes into those gaps into engagement with the laundry pieces.

Still another object is to provide in laundry apparatus and method of the foregoing character, a novel arrangement which includes both a washing/rinsing unit and a drying unit below the first unit and in which the laundry pieces move by gravity from the washing/rinsing unit to the drying unit.

A further object is to provide laundering apparatus and method involving a novel feature in wringing the laundry pieces between successive steps in the laundering operation.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, semi diagrammatic in nature, of apparatus embodying the features of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional detail view taken at line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken at line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view oriented according to line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing another form of conveyor means;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of adjacent runs of two conveyor means, showing the conveyor means gripping and conveying short or small laundry pieces; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing an alternate arrangement for transferring laundry pieces from a first conveyor means to a successive one.

Reference is now made to the details of the accompanying drawings. In the present instance FIGS. 1 to 5, 7 are identical with FIGS. -20 to 25 inclusive of the parent application, except that FIG. 2 includes a minor addition relative to the corresponding FIG. 21 of the parent application. Additionally the lines in FIG. 1 at which the subsequent figures are taken have of course been changed to indicate the numbers of the figures in the present instance. FIG. 6 in the present application is new. The reference numerals utilized in the parent application are also utilized in the same manner in the present case. Reference may be had to the parent application as to any further details, or explanation thereof, considered to be helpful in connection with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a complete laundering apparatus or unit which includes an arrangement for washing and rinsing at the top and drying therebelow, this arrangement differing from the other arrangements in the parent application and the other continuation-in-part applications. In the present instance the unit includes two main components, namely an upper component 154 and a lower component 146. In the upper component both the washing and rinsing steps take place while in the lower component the drying step takes place. In the upper component 154 are upper and lower endless conveyors 158 and 160, the upper conveyor having a lower run 158a and the lower conveyor having an upper run 160a adjacent to each other and running through the ends of the housing 162 to the exterior. These conveyors are trained on suitable guide rollers 164 and driven by suitable means (not shown). In the present illustration the soiled laundry piece to be laundered includes a long or continuous towel 30 in the form of a roll 38 from which it streams into the bight 166 between the runs of the conveyor at the leading end of the component, and is drawn by the conveyor therethrough where it emerges through the bight 168 at the delivery end thereof. The conveyors may assume any of various forms which will be referred to hereinbelow.

For use in the washing step, hot water conduits 134 provide spray jets 132 which are directed onto the towel. Following the spray jets are a plurality of brushes 136 working on the towel. Conveyor means described below provide gaps for the brushes 136 to engage the towel. In the present instance the soap or detergent is supplied directly into the brushes for application to the towel; for this purpose a container 170 is located in an upper position with a downwardly directed spout 172 for gravity feed of the soap or detergent into a manifold 174 having individual outlets 176 leading into the individual brushes 136 on the upper side of the towel. The soap or detergent flows into the brushes and is worked into the towel thereby in the scrubbing and washing operation. Following the brushes are rinse water jets 140. If desired, wringers 138 may be provided at one or more points along the path of progress of the towel.

In the lower component 156 are a pair of endless conveyors 176 and 178, which may be of the same character as the conveyors in the upper component. These conveyors have respectively upper and lower runs 176a and 178a adjacent each other and adapted for conveying the towel therethrough, and they extend through the ends of the housing 180 of the lower component, where at their leading end, they have upturned portions 176b and 178b forming an upwardly diverging pocket or bight 182 disposed directly below the bight 168 of the upper conveyor, and adapted for receiving the towel 30 therefrom.

In this arrangement the towel as it issues from the upper conveyors, is wet and is sufficiently heavy to lead it directly downwardly into the bight 182 in the lower conveyors without the necessity for a feeding action on the towel by a mechanical means at that position.

The conveyors 176 and 178 at their opposite end, extending to the exterior of the housing, form an outlet bight 184 from which the towel issues after the drying operation. The towel is then rolled into a roll 42 by a driving wheel 44. Preferably a trough 186 is provided just below the bight 184 to catch the leading end of the towel and prevent its dropping onto the floor until it is started into the roll. The lower component 156 incorporates suitable means which may include a blower 188 for providing a drying air current through the housing.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show one form of conveyor that may be used in which each conveyor consists of a plurality of laterally spaced narrow bands or belts 190 working in grooves 192 in rollers 194, and the brushes 136 are segmented with segments disposed between adjacent belts, as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows wringer means operable in the present form of conveyor the grooves 192 are of the same cross-sectional shape as the bands or belts 190, whereby the latter are flush with the periphery of the roller. Consequently, two such rollers, individually identified as 1940 and 194b, may be positioned as at the right-hand end of the lower component 156 (FIG. 1) sufficiently close to produce a squeezing or wringing action on the towel.

Alternatively, the conveyors 158, 160, 176, 178 may be in the form of a soft or yieldable mesh, such as fish net, as represented in FIG. 5, between which the towel is gripped and by which it is conveyed. This permits the wash water and rinse water to be impinged onto the towel through the mesh in the respective washing and rinsing operations, and the mesh with the towel can be put through the wringer for effectively wringing the towel. However, in those cases where it is desired to provide brushes 136, the form of conveyor of FIGS. 2 and 3 is utilized, i.e., made up of laterally spaced belt segments.

FIG. 6 shows short laundry pieces 205, which may be for example hand towels, shop towels, etc. gripped between and conveyed by adjacent conveyor belts 158, 160. The towels may be spaced apart, as at 20511 abutting as at 205b or even overlapping as at 205 0.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative arrangement for feeding the towel from one conveyor onto the next. A towel 30 issuing from the bight 168 of the conveyors 158, 160 is fed into the bight 196 formed between successive conveyors 198, 200. If desired a bridge plate 202 may be disposed over the gap 204 between the conveyors. The conveyors 198 and 200 may lead in any direction, although the bight 196 is preferably slightly lower than the bight 198, as illustrated.

Since the conveyor means includes runs that continue substantially continuously through the apparatus, there is no need to secure successive pieces such as towels, together, since they are conveyed by the conveyor by individual gripping action.

The apparatus and method of the present invention adapt themselves readily to either long or continuous towels, or short pieces, and while the apparatus of my co-pending application referred to above, Ser. No. 90,167 filed Dec. 16, 1970 accommodates both long and short pieces, the present apparatus accommodates both kinds also, but in a different manner, namely by continuous conveyor means gripping the pieces therebetween.

I claim:

1. Continuous laundering apparatus comprising, a washing unit operative for washing laundry pieces traveling therethrough, a rinsing unit operative for rinsing the laundry pieces traveling therethrough and removing remains of washing fluid therefrom, a drying unit operative for drying laundry pieces traveling therethrough, and conveyor means for continuously conveying the laundry pieces through the washing unit, rinsing unit, and drying unit successively in the order stated, the conveyor means being perforate whereby to readily enable the passage of laundering liquids and drying air to freely pass therethrough, the conveyor means including a plurality of transversely spaced belt elements providing open spaces therebetween of substantially greater transverse dimension than the belt elements, enabling application of laundering liquid and drying air between the belt elements to the laundry pieces, and the apparatus also including brush members operatively associated with the conveyor means engaging the laundry pieces between the belt elements.

2. Continuous laundering apparatus comprising, a washing unit operative for washing laundry pieces traveling therethrough, a rinsing unit operative for rinsing the laundry pieces traveling therethrough and removing remains of washing fluid therefrom, a drying unit operative for drying laundry pieces traveling therethrough, and conveyor means for continuously conveying the laundry pieces through the washing unit, rinsing unit, and drying unit successively in the order stated, the conveyor means being perforate whereby to readily enable the passage of laundering liquids and drying air to freely pass therethrough,

the apparatus also including an upper component and lower component, the upper component including the laundering unit and including conveyor means having a receiving portion at an entry end of the component, and a discharging portion exteriorly thereof at the exit end, the conveyor means including a portion in the lower component having an entry portion exterior thereto and disposed below the exit end of the conveyor portion in the upper component, the external portion of the conveyor means in the lower component having an open throat disposed directly below the exit end of the conveyor means in the upper component to receive the wet and heavy laundry pieces discharged from the upper component which fall by gravity, and the conveyor means in the lower component having a portion exposed to the exterior at a delivery end adapted for discharging laundry pieces therefrom, the lower component including the drying unit.

3. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the conveyor means in the lower unit includes a pair of endless belts having corresponding runs adjacent each other for receiving laundry pieces therebetween and conveying the latter to the exit end of the conveyor means, and the entry portion is exposed to the exterior and includes upright portions of the two belts defining said throat.

4. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the conveyor means in the lower unit includes, adjacent the lower end of said throat, a pair of rollers serving to guide said endless belts and disposed claim 3 and including brush means between adjacent belt elements engaging the laundry pieces.

6. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 5 and including means for applying cleaning materials to the brushes. 

1. Continuous laundering apparatus comprising, a washing unit operative for washing laundry pieces traveling therethrough, a rinsing unit operative for rinsing the laundry pieces traveling therethrough and removing remains of washing fluid therefrom, a drying unit operative for drying laundry pieces traveling therethrough, and conveyor means for continuously conveying the laundry pieces through the washing unit, rinsing unit, and drying unit successively in the order stated, the conveyor means being perforate whereby to readily enable the passage of laundering liquids and drying air to freely pass therethrough, the conveyor means including a plurality of transversely spaced belt elements providing open spaces therebetween of substantially greater transverse dimension than thE belt elements, enabling application of laundering liquid and drying air between the belt elements to the laundry pieces, and the apparatus also including brush members operatively associated with the conveyor means engaging the laundry pieces between the belt elements.
 1. Continuous laundering apparatus comprising, a washing unit operative for washing laundry pieces traveling therethrough, a rinsing unit operative for rinsing the laundry pieces traveling therethrough and removing remains of washing fluid therefrom, a drying unit operative for drying laundry pieces traveling therethrough, and conveyor means for continuously conveying the laundry pieces through the washing unit, rinsing unit, and drying unit successively in the order stated, the conveyor means being perforate whereby to readily enable the passage of laundering liquids and drying air to freely pass therethrough, the conveyor means including a plurality of transversely spaced belt elements providing open spaces therebetween of substantially greater transverse dimension than thE belt elements, enabling application of laundering liquid and drying air between the belt elements to the laundry pieces, and the apparatus also including brush members operatively associated with the conveyor means engaging the laundry pieces between the belt elements.
 2. Continuous laundering apparatus comprising, a washing unit operative for washing laundry pieces traveling therethrough, a rinsing unit operative for rinsing the laundry pieces traveling therethrough and removing remains of washing fluid therefrom, a drying unit operative for drying laundry pieces traveling therethrough, and conveyor means for continuously conveying the laundry pieces through the washing unit, rinsing unit, and drying unit successively in the order stated, the conveyor means being perforate whereby to readily enable the passage of laundering liquids and drying air to freely pass therethrough, the apparatus also including an upper component and lower component, the upper component including the laundering unit and including conveyor means having a receiving portion at an entry end of the component, and a discharging portion exteriorly thereof at the exit end, the conveyor means including a portion in the lower component having an entry portion exterior thereto and disposed below the exit end of the conveyor portion in the upper component, the external portion of the conveyor means in the lower component having an open throat disposed directly below the exit end of the conveyor means in the upper component to receive the wet and heavy laundry pieces discharged from the upper component which fall by gravity, and the conveyor means in the lower component having a portion exposed to the exterior at a delivery end adapted for discharging laundry pieces therefrom, the lower component including the drying unit.
 3. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the conveyor means in the lower unit includes a pair of endless belts having corresponding runs adjacent each other for receiving laundry pieces therebetween and conveying the latter to the exit end of the conveyor means, and the entry portion is exposed to the exterior and includes upright portions of the two belts defining said throat.
 4. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the conveyor means in the lower unit includes, adjacent the lower end of said throat, a pair of rollers serving to guide said endless belts and disposed adjacent each other to form wringer means for laundry pieces passing between the belts, and also pulling means for pulling the laundry pieces into the lower unit.
 5. Continuous laundering apparatus according to claim 3 and including brush means between adjacent belt elements engaging the laundry pieces. 